Subjuntivo pretérito, irreal de presente, de pasado... en inglés
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Subjuntivo pretérito, irreal de presente, de pasado...
Distinguimos varias formas de subjuntivo:
•El irreal de presente (o pretérito modal):
If she were at the park with us, she would be having a good time. Si ella estuviera en el parque con nosotros, estaría pasándoselo bien.
If only I didn't have so much work to do, I could go out drinking. Si no tuviera tanto trabajo que hacer, podría salir a tomar una copa.
I wish you didn't live so far away. Ojalá no vivieras tan lejos.
• El irreal del pasado (o pasado perfecto modal):
If Polly had seen this mess, she would have called the police. Si Polly hubiese visto este desastre, habría llamado a la policía.
He wishes she hadn't left. Desearía que ella no se hubiese marchado.
If only you hadn't wasted your teenage years playing video games. Si no hubieras desperdiciado tu adolescencia jugando a los videojuegos.
I would rather he hadn't come to this meeting. Hubiera preferido que no viniera a esta reunión.
• El potencial, hacia el futuro (were + infinitivo con to, would o could):
If he were to show up, Willy would have to arrest him. Si él viniera, Willy estaría obligado a arrestarlo.
I wish she would wake up and smell the coffee. (idiom meaning 'to pay attention to what is happening') Deseo que se preste atención a lo que está pasando.
I would if I could, but I can't so I won't. Lo haría si pudiera, pero no puedo, así que no lo haré.
Ejercicio 1
Bob: Sometimes I really wish I an IT consultant.
Luna: Oh, Bob, that's terrible. I believe we should always follow our dreams.
Bob: Well, when I was a child I always a radiologist.
Luna: Me too! I've always liked the radio.
Luna: Oh, Bob, that's terrible. I believe we should always follow our dreams.
Bob: Well, when I was a child I always a radiologist.
Luna: Me too! I've always liked the radio.
Bob: Sometimes I really wish I hadn't become 1 an IT consultant.
Luna: Oh, Bob, that's terrible. I believe we should always follow our dreams.
Bob: Well, when I was a child I always wanted to be 2 a radiologist.
Luna: Me too! I've always liked the radio.
Luna: Oh, Bob, that's terrible. I believe we should always follow our dreams.
Bob: Well, when I was a child I always wanted to be 2 a radiologist.
Luna: Me too! I've always liked the radio.
1 hadn't become: Because Bob is speaking about a 'wish' (that he did not choose his current profession as an IT consultant), we must use the past perfect modal (hadn't become). Bob is expressing his regret that he decided to become an IT consultant.
1 haven't become: Because Bob is expressing a wish or regret about a past event, we cannot use the present perfect form of the verb (haven't become).
1 hadn't became: 'I hadn't became' is grammatically incorrect. We must use the past participle of the verb 'to become' (become) following the auxiliary 'had'.
1 haven't became: 'I haven't became' is grammatically incorrect. We cannot use the preterit (became) after the auxiliary 'have'. The preterit is always used in direct relation with the subject of the sentence. For example: 'I became an IT consultant'.
2 wanted to be: Because Bob is speaking about the past (when I was a child), we must use the preterit verb form 'wanted'. 'To want' always takes the infinitive (to be) in compound forms such as this.
2 wanted be: We must use the infinitive marker 'to', when using the verb 'to want'.
2 wanted being: The verb to want is always followed by another verb in its infinitive form. We cannot use the preterit verb form (wanted) with the -ING form of the verb 'to be'.
2 want be: We must use the infinitive marker 'to', when using the verb 'to want'.
Ejercicio 2
Kevin: I would be more sympathetic if I , but she deserves the punishment she gets.
Susie: You're disgusting. She's only six years old!
Kevin: But she stole my wallet! I wish you take my side just once.
Susie: Sorry, Kevin. You're right. I think six-year-old girls should be arrested.
Susie: You're disgusting. She's only six years old!
Kevin: But she stole my wallet! I wish you take my side just once.
Susie: Sorry, Kevin. You're right. I think six-year-old girls should be arrested.
Kevin: I would be more sympathetic if I could 1, but she deserves the punishment she gets.
Susie: You're disgusting. She's only six years old!
Kevin: But she stole my wallet! I wish you would 2 take my side just once.
Susie: Sorry, Kevin. You're right. I think six-year-old girls should be arrested.
Susie: You're disgusting. She's only six years old!
Kevin: But she stole my wallet! I wish you would 2 take my side just once.
Susie: Sorry, Kevin. You're right. I think six-year-old girls should be arrested.
1 could: 'Could' completes the conditional statement introduced by 'would' in the first clause. This sentence indicates that Kevin would be more sympathetic if he were 'capable' or 'willing' to be.
1 would: 'Would' is used to express conditional thoughts and actions, but it cannot indicate Kevin's capacity to be sympathetic, which is necessary in this construction.
1 should: We use 'should' to express a strong suggestion. It is not appropriate in this construction.
1 am: 'Am', the present tense from of the verb 'to be', does not belong in this construction. We want to express Kevin's capacity to be sympathetic, which we cannot do with 'am'.
2 would: 'Would' correctly expresses Kevin's strong desire for Susie to agree with him. Because this is a conditional wish, which is not a certainty, we use 'would' to express it. 'I wish you would' is a very common beginning for conditional constructions.
2 should: 'Should' is used to express a strong suggestion. It is inappropriate in this construction, as we cannot write or say 'I wish you should'. The phrase 'I wish' already carries the conditional sense of the construction. Kevin might say 'You should take my side', however.
2 will: We cannot use 'will' here because it is an auxiliary used to express a future tense. Kevin is using a conditional construction which doesn't use the future tense.
Ejercicio 3
Luna: If Horatio here with us, he climb up that tree and save the kitten.
Kevin: I would do it if I , but I just bought these pants and I don't want to ruin them.
Kevin: I would do it if I , but I just bought these pants and I don't want to ruin them.
Luna: If Horatio were 1 here with us, he would 2 climb up that tree and save the kitten.
Kevin: I would do it if I could 3, but I just bought these pants and I don't want to ruin them.
Kevin: I would do it if I could 3, but I just bought these pants and I don't want to ruin them.
1 were: Because the clause is introduced by 'if' we must use the subjunctive form of the verb 'to be' (were). This is the best choice here.
1 was: We cannot use 'was' here because the sentence is subjunctive. Note that in spoken English, using 'If I was' or 'If he/she was' is very common and understood, but it is not technically correct, and this exercise tests on the subjunctive!
1 is: We cannot use 'is' here unless the second clause is in the future tense.
2 would: Because the main clause is in the subjunctive (If Horatio were), we must use the conditional (would) in this case. This is the best choice here.
2 had: 'He had climb' is not a valid grammatical construction. However, we could say 'he had climbed' if we wanted to use the past participle form of the verb 'to climb'.
2 should: 'He should climb the tree' is a suggestion, but because the sentence is introduced by a subjunctive clause we cannot use 'should'.
3 could: We use 'could' here to express the possibility of Kevin climbing the tree. 'Could' expresses that Kevin is not capable of climbing the tree, or that even if he is, he is unwilling to climb it. This is the best choice here.
3 should: Because 'should' usually expresses a suggestion, 'I would if I should' does not make sense. 'I would if I could' is a very common expression, however.
3 am: 'I would do it if I am' does not make sense.
Ejercicio 4
Philip: Hey Icarus, my man. Are you coming to get a beer after work?
Icarus: Mother said she doesn't want me out too late.
Philip: That's too bad. If I you, I the umbilical cord.
Icarus: Uhh, but I don't have any, uhh, scissors.
Philip: Well, it's about time you a pair.
Icarus: Mother said she doesn't want me out too late.
Philip: That's too bad. If I you, I the umbilical cord.
Icarus: Uhh, but I don't have any, uhh, scissors.
Philip: Well, it's about time you a pair.
Philip: Hey Icarus, my man. Are you coming to get a beer after work?
Icarus: Mother said she doesn't want me to stay 1 out too late.
Philip: That's too bad. If I were 2 you, I would cut 3 the umbilical cord.
Icarus: Uhh, but I don't have any, uhh, scissors.
Philip: Well, it's about time you bought 4 a pair.
Icarus: Mother said she doesn't want me to stay 1 out too late.
Philip: That's too bad. If I were 2 you, I would cut 3 the umbilical cord.
Icarus: Uhh, but I don't have any, uhh, scissors.
Philip: Well, it's about time you bought 4 a pair.
1 to stay: In this sentence, the verb 'to want' must be followed by a verb in the full infinitive form: She doesn't want me TO STAY... Note that occasionally the verb to want can be followed by a gerund: Mother doesn't want me STAYING out too late.
1 stay: We cannot use 'stay' without 'to' here.
1 stayed: The preterit tense 'stayed' is grammatically incorrect. Icarus is speaking about the present, not the past.
1 have stayed: 'Have stayed' is incorrect. We cannot use the present perfect tense in this construction.
2 were: The subjunctive preterit 'were' always follows 'if' in hypothetical constructions such as this. Although it is acceptable in spoken English to use the simple past 'was' in subjunctive constructions, the subjunctive past 'were' is preferred. Note that the subjunctive past is conjugated in the same way as simple past (or preterit), with the exception of the verb 'to be', which is irregular.
2 would be: We cannot use the conditional 'would' in the first clause when the sentence begins with 'if'.
2 am: We cannot use the present simple tense (am) when the sentence begins with 'if'.
2 was: We cannot use the past simple tense (was) when the sentence begins with 'if'.
3 would cut: Because the first clause (If I were you...) begins with 'if', we must use the conditional 'would' in the second clause. 'Would' is always followed by the infinitive form of the verb without 'to' (cut).
3 should cut: 'Should' does not make sense here. 'Should' is used to make suggestions, but it is not used in 'if' statements. Philip could simply say, however: 'You should cut the umbilical cord'.
3 cutted: 'Cutted' is not an English word. The verb 'to cut' is irregular. I cut / I cut / I have cut.
3 cut: We cannot use the present tense 'cut' here, because we need to use the conditional form 'I would cut'.
4 bought: We always use the subjunctive preterit tense (bought) to follow the expression 'it's about time'. The subjunctive preterit is identical to the preterit form for most verbs. In this sentence Philip's expression 'it's about time' expresses that 'now is the time for Icarus to cut the umbilical cord' or that Icarus should 'cut the umbilical cord as soon as possible'.
4 buy: We cannot use the present tense verb 'buy' to follow the expression 'it's about time', which is a conditional construction and requires the subjunctive preterit form of the verb to follow it.
4 would buy: We cannot use the conditional 'would buy' to follow the expression 'it's about time', which is a conditional construction and requires the subjunctive preterit form of the verb to follow it.
4 should buy: We cannot use 'should' to follow the expression 'it's about time', which is a conditional construction and requires the subjunctive preterit form of the verb to follow it.
Ejercicio 5
Sophie: Bob, darling, I wish we take a nice long vacation, just you, me and Toby.
Bob: But you know we can't afford it, Soph.
Sophie: If only we so many years touring the world in a hot-air balloon!
Bob: Come on, now, Soph. Those were the best years of our life! Remember Persia?
Sophie: Oh, my love. What are we going to do?
Bob: Don't worry, my peach. It's time that you and I this prison of ennui!
Sophie: Oh, my hero! I know you through for me.
Bob: But you know we can't afford it, Soph.
Sophie: If only we so many years touring the world in a hot-air balloon!
Bob: Come on, now, Soph. Those were the best years of our life! Remember Persia?
Sophie: Oh, my love. What are we going to do?
Bob: Don't worry, my peach. It's time that you and I this prison of ennui!
Sophie: Oh, my hero! I know you through for me.
Sophie: Bob, darling, I wish we could 1 take a nice long vacation, just you, me and Toby.
Bob: But you know we can't afford it, Soph.
Sophie: If only we hadn't spent 2 so many years touring the world in a hot-air balloon!
Bob: Come on, now, Soph. Those were the best years of our life! Remember Persia?
Sophie: Oh, my love. What are we going to do?
Bob: Don't worry, my peach. It's time that you and I escaped 3 this prison of ennui!
Sophie: Oh, my hero! I know you will come 4 through for me.
Bob: But you know we can't afford it, Soph.
Sophie: If only we hadn't spent 2 so many years touring the world in a hot-air balloon!
Bob: Come on, now, Soph. Those were the best years of our life! Remember Persia?
Sophie: Oh, my love. What are we going to do?
Bob: Don't worry, my peach. It's time that you and I escaped 3 this prison of ennui!
Sophie: Oh, my hero! I know you will come 4 through for me.
1 could: Because the sentence begins with 'I wish', we must use the modal 'could' here. 'We could take a vacation' forms the subjunctive preterit tense. The subjunctive preterit is identical to the simple preterit form of most verbs.
1 would be able: We cannot use 'would be able' in this construction following the phrase 'I wish'. To express the idea of capacity in the conditional sense we would have to say 'I wish we were able', which is more simply expressed by writing or saying 'could'.
1 can: We never use the present tense verb 'can' after the verb 'to wish', which introduces a conditional statement.
1 to be able: We do not use the infinitive verb 'to be able' after the verb 'to wish'. We must conjugate the verb in the correct fashion.
2 hadn't spent: Because Sophie is speaking about the past using 'if only' (which expresses regret), we must use the past perfect modal 'hadn't spent', which is a form of the subjunctive. This is specific to 'if only' constructions when used to express regret about the past. The full form of the modal, 'had not spent', is also acceptable here.
2 haven't spent: 'Haven't spent' is the present perfect, which does not make sense in this context, as Sophie is speaking specifically about the past.
2 wouldn't spent: 'Wouldn't spent' is not a valid verb construction. 'Would' is always used with the infinitive form of the verb, without 'to' (wouldn't spend).
2 didn't spend: Sophie uses the construction 'if only' to express a regret about the past here. She should use the past perfect tense 'hadn't spent'. Sophie cannot use the preterit 'didn't spend' in this context.
3 escaped: We always use the subjunctive preterit form of the verb (escaped) when it follows the expression 'it's time'. The subjunctive preterit is identical to the preterit for most verbs.
3 escape: We cannot use the present tense 'escape' to follow the expression 'it's time'. 'It's time...' introduces a subjunctive statement, and so the verb must be conjugated in the subjunctive preterit form.
3 would escape: We cannot use the conditional form 'would escape' to follow the expression 'it's time'.
3 had escaped: We cannot use the past perfect form 'had escaped' to follow the expression 'it's time'.
4 will come: This is the best choice here. Because Sophie is speaking about a future action, we use the future tense 'will come'. Note that 'to come through for someone' means 'to do what was promised for someone'.
4 would come: Because Sophie says 'I know' and not 'I knew', we cannot use the conditional construction 'would come' here.
4 came: Although 'came' is grammatically correct here, it does not make sense, because Sophie is talking about something Bob 'is going to do', not something he 'has done already'.
4 had come: The past perfect 'had come' does not make sense in this context. Usually, the past perfect tense is used to speak about an action happening in the past that has preceded another past action.
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